medical English · revision 3483

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1646 (Browne)|origins=la medicus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈmed.ɪ.kəl/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|médical]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) or directly from [[la-lat|medicālis|t=of a physician]],^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(Klein 1966) from [[m|la|medicus|t=physician; healing]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[m|la|medērī|t=to heal]], originally “to know the best course for”.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) Etymonline traces it to [[ine-pro|*med-|t=to take appropriate measures]], the source also of Avestan vī-mad- “physician”,^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(Klein 1966) and cites de Vaan for a shift in meaning from “measure” to “distribute a cure, heal”.^(Etymonline) Merriam-Webster relates ''medērī'' to Latin [[m|la|meditārī|t=to meditate]].^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Relating to the art of healing or its practitioners: 1646, in Sir Thomas Browne's ''Pseudodoxia Epidemica'',^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate) where it also meant “curative, medicinal”.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The earlier English adjective in this sense was [[medicinal]].^(Etymonline) A disease that needs medical rather than surgical treatment is ''medical'' from 1885–8.^(OED 1989) As a noun, ''a medical'' was a colloquial word for a student or practitioner of medicine from 1823,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and a medical examination from 1917.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1646 – adjective (Browne).^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1823 – noun, a medical student.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1885–8 – of diseases, treated by medicine.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1917 – noun, a medical examination.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Relating to the study or practice of [[medicine]].^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Requiring treatment by medicine rather than [[surgery]].^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A thorough physical examination.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[medically]]

+ * [[aeromedical]]

+ * [[antimedical]]

+ * [[biomedical]]

+ * [[Medicaid]]

+ * [[medicalize]]

+ * [[Medicare]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[medicate]]

+ * [[medicine]]

+ * [[medic]]

+ * [[remedy]]

+ * [[meditate]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}